The Gift
by writeturnlove
Summary: Bonnie awakens to find that the gift from her family was a second chance at life. She returns to Mystic Falls High School during her junior year, where she reconnects with her friends as well as one former enemy in the form of Kai Parker. Their new lives are filled with some familiar threats, and also some new ones. Can they face them together without tearing each other apart?
1. Chapter 1

_(Bonkai AU – Since I doubt Bonnie is going to survive the TVD Series Finale, I wanted to write something brief about how her story could end. I thought of this idea while driving home from work the other day. This is probably going to be a short, two part narrative.)_

 **The Gift – Part 1**

By V.C. Turner ( writeturnlove)

The glow from the burning graveyard lit the night sky as Bonnie walked through the iron gates of the cemetery where Elena resided in her magical slumber.

"It's time to wake up, Elena," she said into the darkness, her voice shaking from exhaustion.

Bonnie's feet dragged through the fallen leaves; her canvas shoes only barely lifting with each step.

As she trekked around the tombstones, she left progressively larger droplets of blood on the ground.

It trickled from her nose.

It dripped from her neck.

It flowed from the gaping wound in her stomach that burned even in the cold of the night.

Bonnie placed her hand against it and continued on, draped in her grandmother's sweater and adorned with her ancestor Emily's amber pendant.

She'd purchased the town's safety with her magic, her, blood, her life. Again. With nothing left to give this existence that didn't seem to want her, Bonnie chose to spend her last moments among the buried remains of the only family she had left.

Wandering through the graveyard, she collapsed once she reached the Bennett family plots near the north end of the cemetery. A tight smile played across her lips as she ingested the irony of looking for an unclaimed plot in which to lie - In which to die.

Vampire blood wouldn't save her this time, and truthfully: she'd refuse it if it were offered. This time was different. This time, she didn't want to live because each breath she took was just another inhale closer to losing her life for people that never thanked her enjoying the benefit of her sacrifice.

This time it needed to end.

Bonnie Bennett had faced death before. She'd thought she'd beaten it, but in reality - it had beaten her. Expression ripped away her life while trying to resurrect Jeremy. Her tenure as Anchor to The Other Side ended with the destruction of a supernatural purgatory that allowed her to live again only so she could once more save everyone else.

No more.

She lay on the nearly frozen ground, letting the cold seep into her skin so she could enjoy the numbness. She wanted to feel nothing.

She thought that the other times she'd died were her choice, but the truth was: she wasn't choosing anything. She allowed it to happen because she thought it was her responsibility to be an unsung hero to Mystic Falls.

This time, she embraced death. No longer a medicine she felt obligated to swallow, death had evolved into a peace she was about to accept.

She didn't fear it.

She didn't want it.

She didn't chase it.

This time, she just wanted to drift into a place she'd never known: peace.

Bonnie scanned the stars, counting each twinkling light in the sky. Christmas. It looked like Christmas in the sky. Last Christmas, she'd spent alone. Tonight. Tonight she was with her family; or she would be with them soon. This was the only gift she needed.

The feeling gave her hope, but her stubborn eyes threatened to release the tears held captive beneath her eyelids.

 _Don't you dare cry, Bennett!_ She said to herself. _Don't you fucking cry right now._

Bonnie waited for the light.

Bonnie waited for the darkness.

She closed her eyes, wrapped the sweater around her mid-section, and clutched the amber crystal nestled in her breast.

"I'm going home," she said to herself.

One breath stole her sight.

One breath took her sense of touch.

In the last breath, she heard chanting – a musical sound that beckoned to her and seemed familiar.

The pain vanished as she let both the light and the dark into her soul.

And then….

Blinding light struck her first. It penetrated her eyelids as if they weren't even there. An unfamiliar sensation simmered inside her. It seeped into her skin, that is – if a spirit had skin, and into her bones.

Bonnie covered her face with her hands, sitting up slowly to gage her surroundings. Air filled her lungs. _Lungs! Holy crap, I have lungs,_ she thought to herself.

Was the after life an actual life?

The chanting continued, and she forced herself to open her eyes to the light. She continued to see nothing, but the voices were closer now and more familiar. Soft, female voices that sang to her.

The voices didn't belong to angels.

They belonged to the Bennett women throughout time.

A pair of warm hands pulled Bonnie to her feet as her eyes came into focus.

Her heart leapt as she embraced her Grams.

"Grams!" she wept in the older woman's arms, "Is this – is this Heaven? Is this peace?"

Grams smiled at her granddaughter before answering.

"Bonnie you did it, baby" she said.

"Did what, Grams?" Bonnie responded.

"Took the first step sweetheart. You embraced life and death. You gave everything and now it's time you get something back," Grams told her.

Bonnie looked up and saw all of the Bennett witches throughout time: from the first to the last.

Bonnie's ancestor Ayanna approached. She grabbed one of Bonnie's hands before she began to speak.

"Bonnie, the Bennett line is incredibly powerful. Throughout time, we've used that power to fight evil, to trap it, and sometimes even to kill it. We've lived and died in the service of others, without ever being worthy of the gift you are about to get," Ayanna explained.

"What does that mean?" Bonnie said, her emotions a jumble of confusion and anticipation.

Ayanna handed Bonnie a small wooden box, wrapped in golden thread. She attempted to open her gift, but the box was spelled shut. She tugged. She chanted. Nothing worked.

Tessa approached, her smile surprisingly genuine considering she had made Bonnie the anchor to The Other Side without revealing the pain she would endure on a daily basis.

"There's something you need to do before you're allowed to open it," Tessa added.

Bonnie frowned at yet another test of her will. She thought she'd finally found a haven surrounded by family.

"So you want to put me through another test for a present I know nothing about?" she asked, barely hiding her frustration.

"Trust me baby," Grams told her, "It's something wonderful and something you deserve after all you've been through in your young life."

Grams lead her through a clearing and toward the witch mansion located on the outskirts of Mystic Falls. It still looked run down, as usual, but there was firelight flickering inside as if someone was home.

Bonnie inhaled deeply, stuffing the box in her sweater. Her wounds had healed, or vanished. Her strength returned to her. Her magic bubbled through her veins as if it were bursting to be set free and was angry that her skin was holding it back.

"So, Grams, are you going to tell me what the biggest challenge of my existence will be?" Bonnie asked in a skeptical, yet respectful tone.

Sheila Bennett opened the door and ushered Bonnie inside. As the door closed behind Bonnie, her Grams answered.

"Forgiveness," she told her.

The door clicked shut, leaving Bonnie inside. She walked toward the firelight, noting that the home didn't seem run down from the inside. Antique furniture adorned every room, perched atop cherry hardwood floors and oriental rugs.

White Christmas lights looped around the banister leading up the staircase.

Bonnie turned into the main room, where a fully decorated Christmas tree sat in the corner of the room within feet of the roaring fireplace.

Someone was stoking the fire, however she could not see his face. As she approached, he began to speak.

"Well, I gotta admit: I didn't think you'd show, but here you are," a recognizable voice said.

Bonnie began to back away to the front door, knowing that voice and knowing she was in danger. She pulled desperately on the door handle. It didn't move. She was trapped with him.

Her fear shouldn't have been justified. He couldn't harm her, yet her instinct had been to run. She tried, and failed, in using magic to open the door.

She soon felt his hot breath on the back of her neck. How dare he come this close to her without permission?

Bonnie gathered put on her game face to glare at him. She turned, staring at him in the firelight. He smiled and it angered her: not because she was afraid, but because her stubborn heart actually skipped a beat when he did.

"Merry Christmas, Bonster," Kai said.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Gift**

 **Chapter Two**

Bonnie glared up at him, hoping that her magic would at least bless him with an aneurism or something potentially more fatal. Then she remembered that, for all intents and purposes, they were both dead and stuck in some afterlife from which there appeared to be no escape.

"Why the hell are you here, Kai?" she demanded, angered that she had once again been placed in alternate world him.

"Apparently your family likes sticking me supernatural holding cells," he stated, "Or they have a sick sense of humor – probably both."

She backed away from him a few more feet, ready to attack if necessary.

He frowned at her gesture.

"How the Hell can I hurt you now?" he asked, looking offended by her actions.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," Bonnie added.

Kai appeared wounded by her words. He behaved as if he wanted to fight, then quickly turned his back on her and ran his hands through his hair.

"Why do you think I'm here?" Kai asked her, the frustration radiating off of him.

"I'm … I think I'm supposed to forgive you," she answered, looking down at the box in her hand, "If I do, they say I will finally be able to open this 'gift' as a reward. It's supposed to be something no other Bennett witch has ever deserved."

Kai looked at the box, nodding his head slowly.

"Forgive me? They actually said that," he asked.

"My Grams told me that I had to forgive. Since you're here, I figure that meant you," Bonnie answered.

"So, do you see yourself ever forgiving me, or does your hate spring eternal?" Kai said, appraising her from head to toe.

"Well, you did try to kill me several times," she noted, "So that's probably going to be pretty damned hard to do."

Kai chuckled, looking away from her briefly, then turning back to bore through her soul with his blue-grey eyes.

"You're smart, so tell me something: was I really trying to kill you? I had plenty of chances. Did I ever try to kill you – really try it – when I was certain you could die," he asked thoughtfully.

Bonnie nearly answered immediately, but forced herself to stop. Her family obviously wanted her to hear him out.

The first time he shot her with an arrow, he knew she couldn't die because he'd attempted suicide before – he was aware that no one could die in his prison world as long as he was there. The same truth could be applied to when he stabbed her and took the car. Why bother sending her a message on his beeper if he really thought she was dead? When she returned from 1994, why did he bother apologizing? Why didn't he just kill her in the Salvatore basement; or at the wedding?

Why bother unless…unless he never wanted to be the one responsible for her death.

It didn't make any sense.

"Why?" she asked him.

"Why what?" Kai responded, losing his patience a little.

"Why bother doing all that just to let me live?" she asked.

Kai tilted his head in what, under normal circumstances, would have been an adorable expression.

"Did you ever think that I wanted to challenge you? Did you ever think that when I looked at you, I saw more than a pretty face? I saw a fighter that had lost her fight after spending too many fucking years running back to douchebags like Damon. All of your other so-called friends pretend to be good to you. They play at being your friend so they can use you, get things from you, then have you suffer for it," Kai stood up and approached her slowly, "I wanted to test you. I wanted to get more than your magic back. I wanted you to get your fight back."

"That's a nice speech Kai. Really, it is," Bonnie started, "Now give me a reason to believe it."

Kai shook his head and backed away.

"Why the Hell did I bother trying to save you anyway," he added.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your birthday. I'm talking about your birthday, when Jeremy and I risked our lives to save your ass from dying in that garage," Kai explained, "I cast the spell to send him back for the map, and to stop you from ending your life for no good reason. Meanwhile my bitch of a little sister was trying to kill me, as if the spell wasn't doing a good enough job of killing me already.

Bonnie took a moment to let his words sink in. She found the map that Damon left for her, but she didn't remember him leaving it on the kitchen floor before he left. She also didn't understand how the garage door lifted open.

Now, she did understand.

"Is that why you thought I betrayed you?" Bonnie asked him.

"You did!"

"I left you in 1903 because of what you did to me!" she said, defending her actions.

"Fine. You're right. I'm the bastard of your life. I'm the asshole. You want me to be the bad guy, why – because it's easy for you," he yelled.

"Nothing's been easy for me, Kai," she retorted, purposely making her voice calm so he could know he wasn't getting to her – even though he was.

"Nothing? Really? Well, at least you grew up with people actually loving you," he snapped at her.

"And they're all dead, aren't they," she added, "Of course I didn't kill them, so there's that."

Bonnie regretted her words almost as soon as she'd spoken them. She knew his family had tormented him. While going full psycho and murdering them could never be forgotten, it wasn't as if he'd been raised in a house of love. He'd been raised knowing that he would either die or kill his own twin sister for leadership of the sick family. An outsider in his own home, he was called an abomination almost from birth. Bonnie knew that had to leave a scar that nothing could heal.

He stared at her without moving for several minutes. The fire crackled. The wind picked up outside. The lights on the Christmas tree hummed.

Kai said nothing. He appeared to process her words before adding his own to the rapidly descending conversation.

"Didn't you kill your family, too?" he started, "Why did your Grams really die? It happened while helping you do a spell for the Salvatores. Why was your mother turned into a vampire? To benefit Elena and the Salvatore brothers, who wanted to live because 150 fucking years just wasn't enough for them. Let's see, and your dad – dead because you were forced to raise Silas so Elena could get the cure for vampirism."

He waited for her response, but Bonnie didn't give one. She listened and considered the possibility that he perhaps he was right.

She turned from him, walking toward the sofa and curling herself up into a ball to think.

"I know I'm supposed to forgive you, Kai," she said in a voice barely above a whisper, "I'm sorry. I don't know how."

"Maybe it's because I'm not the first person that you need to forgive in this house," he added.

Kai walked toward the window. He tried to lift it up, but it wouldn't budge.

"I should just forget all of this – this deal and this afterlife," he said into the unyielding glass.

Kai leaned against the windowsill and began chuckling under his breath.

Bonnie approached him slowly. Perhaps he had no more control over their circumstances as she did. Perhaps he was just a broken man that needed to be loved, never got it, and lashed out. Perhaps he wasn't evil; just lonely and scared. She knew the feeling all too well.

"What deal?" she asked, her voice genuinely sweet.

"If I can get you to forgive me and forgive yourself, I get something I've always wanted," he answered.

"Which is," she questioned.

"Nope. Not telling you," he answered, "At least not yet."

She sat next to him in silence for a moment. Had she met him under different circumstances they could have been friends … maybe more than friends. She smiled at the thought, but realized that he was watching her, so she stopped.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked, nudging her gently.

"Nope. Not telling you," she answered, "At least not yet."

"Touché," he added.

A long silence passed between them until Bonnie walked over to the tree. She bent down to pick up an ornament, then slowly hung it on a branch at eye level.

"You said once that Thanksgiving was your favorite holiday. Well, Christmas used to be mine," she said, turning to him and holding up the star.

He walked toward her slowly, taking the star from her and placing it on top of the tree.

Kai looked into her eyes.

"Used to be? Why did it used to be your favorite?" he asked.

She laughed as if he'd missed out on an obvious joke.

"Maybe because I was alone on Christmas last year, and I died on Christmas this year," she smiled.

"Ok, that does kind of suck," he pointed out, flopping on the couch and pulling her with him.

Kai reached for her sweater and opened it, noting the destroyed fabric where her wound had been.

"How?" he asked.

"It's not really important," she said, placing her head on his shoulder.

The movement surprised them both, but she decided to leave it there and listen to his rapidly beating heart slow down.

"Are you okay," she asked him.

Kai took a deep breath and wrapped one arm around her.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm sort of dead, but other than that…" he started.

They both laughed for a brief moment before Bonnie shed a silent tear.

She reached into her pocket to pull out the small box given to her. She tugged on the latch again and it gave way. She bit her lip and looked at Kai just before she opened it.

"Wait," he pleaded, "Before you do that, tell me what do you want for Christmas?"

Bonnie considered his question. What gift could she possibly get from her ancestors to make up for all that she'd experienced and all that she'd lost? The answer came to her just as she opened the tiny wooden box.

Bonnie awoke to the scent of coffee brewing somewhere nearby. Her face was no longer snuggled against Kai's shoulder. She slowly shook her head to wake up enough to figure out where she was this time.

Her bedroom.

Bonnie awoke in her bedroom – at Gram's house. She scrambled off the bed, fighting the covers that were wrapped around her. She stopped in her tracks when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Her breath left her and she nearly fell to her knees.

Grams stood in the kitchen brewing coffee.

"Baby, you are gonna be late for the first day of school if you don't get your tail moving," Grams warned.

Bonnie's eyes filled with tears. She ran at her grandmother, wrapping the woman in a tight hug that she wanted to last forever.

"Grams!" Bonnie managed to choke out.

Grams gasped for air and struggled against her granddaughter's tight grip.

"Girl, you better hurry up before you get a tardy on the first day. I went on ahead and packed your lunch with my little 'Thought of the Day' note inside," Grams said, "So get going."

"I love you Grams," Bonnie said, her voice shaking.

"I love you, too, baby, now go," she insisted, nearly shoving Bonnie out the door.

Bonnie hopped in her car, not fully grasping what was happening. She had wished for a fresh start. She just couldn't believe she was allowed to get one – and that it was real.

She fastened her seatbelt and started to read the first few words of her Grams' note: "Every day is a second chance to get it right. Don't waste it."

She looked up and watched as her grandmother smiled back at her and waved. As she pulled away, Grams threw her a knowing smile and wink.

She had her life to live over again: a life before vampires, and werewolves, and death. A sigh of relief swept over her until she realized that if she weren't careful, history would repeat itself.

This time will be different, Bonnie said to herself.

She bounced toward history class with that jerk of a teacher who preceded Alaric – Mr. Tanner. She turned around and watched Stefan and Elena stare at each other, while praying for her own fresh start.

Mr. Tanner walked around his desk to begin asking about the Battle of Willow Creek, when Bonnie realized he was going to ask her about the number of causalities. She fought hard to remember the answer, but she knew Stefan would eventually get it right.

Just before her future friend spoke, another voice answered instead.

"346."

Bonnie looked up at the owner of that voice.

Kai Parker stood in the doorway holding a small white sheet of paper.

Her heart stopped.

Mr. Tanner walked over to the young man and took the paper from him.

"Mr., um, Parker, you are correct," Mr. Tanner stated, then turned to introduce him to the class, "Ladies and gentleman, this is another new student - Kai Parker."

Kai scanned the room before his eyes landed on Bonnie and he smiled. She shifted in her seat; only this time her discomfort had nothing to do with fear.

He looked younger – no older than 17 - but he still had the same wicked grin and boyish face he'd had when she'd first met him.

"Go ahead and find a seat, Parker" Mr. Tanner added, motioning for Kai to pick a desk.

He sauntered toward an already occupied seat next to Bonnie, and then whispered something in the boy's ear that made him vacate the chair and quickly find another.

Kai settled into his new desk, glancing at Bonnie with a smirk, then turning his attention to the teacher.

Bonnie squirmed for the rest of the class as she caught him staring at her from time to time. When the bell rang, she gathered her things and headed for her locker, knowing he was right behind her.

She finally turned to face him.

"Long hair," he noted, "I think I like it."

Bonnie failed to hold back a blush.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him in a hushed voice.

Kai leaned in and brushed her hair behind her left ear.

"Flirting with you," he added, his smile not nearly as innocent as his intentions.

She blushed again, which only made him smile more.

"Behave!" she told him, not meaning it at all.

"Nope," he added, "Not until I get a kiss."

"Are you crazy?"

"Well, I think we've already established that," he joked, nudging her a little.

Bonnie covered her face. She needed to accept that a teenage Kai Parker now existed in her life and was just as arrogant as the older version. She reached for his cheek, rubbing her hand against the smooth skin.

"So this is the baby Kai version," she told him, "I like it, but I kind of miss the stubble."

"I'll grow it back for you on one condition," he asserted.

"What's that?"

"You go with me to this decade dance thing," Kai said.

Bonnie pretended to think about it, but agreed.

"Fine, meet me at lunch and we'll talk about it," she added.

"Deal," he told her.

Kai leaned in, giving her an unnecessarily long kiss on the cheek that made her heart flutter.

He then whispered in her ear.

"By the way, this…this was my wish…to grow up with you," he said quietly as he walked away.

She smiled as she watched him walk toward his next class. He turned quickly to wink at her, then continued down the hall.

Bonnie pulled out her lunch bag and quickly read the rest of the note Grams had left for her.

"Remember sweetheart: I found my peace because I made sure, you found yours. And this, baby girl, …this is yours."


	3. Chapter 3

Bonnie's schedule showed that her lunch took place two hours after her meeting with Kai in the hallway. That gave her just enough time to come up with a backstory that made sense. Elena and Caroline would want to know who her new "friend" was and how they'd become so chummy in a short amount of time.

She didn't have time to ask Kai about his family or what this new life offered him that the old one had not. She was also a terrible liar, so she would need to think of something they could both agree upon that had a ring of truth running through it.

English class dragged on for what seemed like forever. Mr. Chase gave an assignment for the students to go to a bookstore and choose a historical fiction novel to read for a book report due in a couple of months.

Science class was next on her agenda. Bonnie enjoyed participating in experiments to some degree. Mixing various elements to create a chemical reaction fascinated the young witch.

Bonnie didn't know if her powers were active yet, but she itched to try them the moment she got home and spent time with Grams.

It felt good to see her grandmother again – to have her active in her life. Warmth spread over her heart at getting this second chance to make things right for the elder Bennett witch. This time, she would learn from the woman that was both mother and mentor to her.

When the bell rang, Bonnie jumped out of her seat and headed to the cafeteria, leaving a puzzled Elena and Caroline in her wake. She needed to get to Kai and develop a believable storyline.

She noticed him immediately. He stood at the back of the lunch line holding his lunch tray in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He stuffed the phone in his pocket and surveyed the so-called food choices in front of him, pointing at the least disgusting combination of grilled cheese, French fries, corn, and a roll.

Bonnie rushed to his side so quickly that she nearly knocked him off balance.

"Damn, someone's eager to go out with me," Kai joked, smiling down at her.

"Kai Parker: full of confidence or hot air? Story at 11," she joked back.

She grabbed her own tray, but chose mostly fruit and a few cookies, along with what looked like a chicken patty.

"So, who do you want to go as?" Kai asked, "I'm partial to James Dean, myself."

"It's a dance – period clothes. You don't have to look like anyone famous," she insisted, grabbing his arm and pulling him to an empty table as she spied Elena and Caroline throwing her suspicious glances across the room as they picked up their food.

"Ok, how do you suppose we explain to my friends how we know each other so well and why I'm willing to go to a dance with you," she asked.

"Well, the why is sort of obvious," Kai said with a wink, "Leave the rest to me. Tell me something though: did you spend any time away from them this year?"

Bonnie nodded.

"I usually spend summers with my dad," she told him. "He's a salesman and his side of the family is pretty boring."

"Then that's it. We met there – where's there?" he asked.

"Richmond."

"Ok. We met in Richmond. Hung out. I was doing some – I don't know – some summer job down there. Your dad hated me…blah, blah, blah," he went on.

Kai shoved a piece of his sandwich in his mouth and started chewing. He frowned his displeasure at the cuisine, but refrained from spitting out the bite.

"Yeah, it's always pretty gross here. I usually pack. Since my Grams doesn't include anything sweet in my lunch, I get it here," she told him.

"Understood," he said.

"You didn't get any dessert," she added.

Kai looked her up and down.

"Oh I have it," he flirted, "It's just not sitting on the tray."

A naughty smile broke across his face as he took a swig of his milk.

Bonnie elbowed him as her friends approached.

"Well, Bonnie, aren't you going to introduce us to your new friend?" Caroline asked in her best perky cheerleader manner, her voice lilting higher than its usual octave. She was in full flirtation mode and Bonnie willed herself to tamp down her frustration with her friend.

For her, it had been years since Caroline had been the popular yet secretly insecure Type A cheerleader. The girl who complained about never being chosen without realizing that so many boys wanted her, she could make her own choice.

Bonnie didn't want to become the embodiment of the green-eyed monster. Her prior knowledge gave her a certain confidence that she lacked the first time around.

Elena sat down quietly, tugging on Caroline's shirt as if she'd stepped out of line.

"Guys, this is Kai Parker," Bonnie said.

Kai stood up, shaking each girls hand and then sat back down to continue picking at his lunch.

After searching the lunchroom for Stefan, Elena spoke next.

"So, how did you two meet? It looks like you know each other pretty well," Elena stated, giving Bonnie a knowing glance that meant she'd have to spill more details later.

Kai and Bonnie looked at one another, then turned toward their counterparts and spoke at the same time.

"Richmond," they said in unison.

Bonnie immediately figured this must have sounded suspicious, but she brushed it off. She allowed Kai to relay his made up story, impressed but not surprised at his ability to lie without any change in his expression.

"So….Kai: Where are you from?" Caroline asked. The pretty blonde sat straight up, pushing the top of her shirt into the table as if to mount her breasts behind her tray.

Rather than take the bait, Kai looked at Bonnie and smiled before turning back to Caroline and answering her question.

"Portland, actually. My family moved here not too long ago," Kai stated, picking a piece of fruit off of Bonnie's tray and popping it in his mouth with a wink.

Elena smiled at Bonnie, gently nudging her under the table as a sign of approval.

"Did Bonnie invite you to the Decade dance coming up?" Elena added.

"I invited her actually," Kai noted, "We were just talking about the details."

Bonnie glanced at him, realizing how normal this all seemed – as if it had happened the first time. Was this the way it should have been, she thought.

Elena's attention faltered as the handsome younger Salvatore soon joined them at the table and sat next to the pretty brunette.

She introduced Stefan to the group. He shook hands with each of them. The second he touched Kai, both young men stopped breathing for a brief moment of supernatural recognition. Kai sat back down staring at Stefan with enough skepticism to silence the entire table.

Caroline broke the tension with a soft giggle.

"So, we're all going to the Back to School bonfire, right?" she asked, looking around the table for confirmation. Once she received the appropriate amount of nods, she took a slow draw from the straw poking out of her milk and sat it down.

Soon the bell sounded for students to head to their next period.

Stefan offered to take Elena's and Caroline's trays, while Kai grabbed Bonnie's.

Caroline turned to Bonnie and Elena, pointing a bossy but friendly finger at them.

"Don't you girls forget practice this afternoon – Got it!" she ordered. She was captain of the cheerleading squad after all.

Elena and Bonnie nodded and headed toward their next period.

Kai quickly pulled Bonnie to him so he could say something in her ear. She waited for a flirt, but what she received was a warning.

"Something's wrong," Kai noted.

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked in a hushed tone.

"All I saw was darkness when I touched him," Kai said.

"So did I when I shook his hand the first time," she responded.

"This wasn't the usual darkness I get from all vamps, okay. This is worse. Just be careful," he warned.

She nodded at him, quickly able to discern that he was, in fact, telling the truth. But why would Stefan be different in this time line?

She glanced at his schedule. They didn't have another class together, until later that day, so Kai's reassuring squeeze of her arm was their goodbye for the moment.

Bonnie tapped her pencil on desk in math class, looking up at the trigonometry problem on the chalkboard. She waited for the solution to come to her, but it never did.

She turned to look at her friend Elena, who stared intently at her textbook so as to avoid the intense glare of their math teacher, Mrs. Birch.

Caroline busied herself with gawking at Stefan and chewing on the tip of her eraser. She batted her eyes at him, but he politely ignored her as he gazed at Elena with awe.

Bonnie's mind focused on whether or not she wanted to watch the horror story that had been her life play out all over again.

She knew what was coming.

Her grandmother would die trying to free an absent Katherine from the tomb. Her mother would be turned into a Vampire, forever losing touch with the magic that flowed freely through the Bennett line. Her cousin would leave Mystic Falls again and never return. Her father would have his throat slit by Silas and she would be helpless to save him after giving her life to resurrect the ex-boyfriend that cheated on her.

Bonne would risk her life time and again to save them, yet the list of people that would lay down their lives to protect her would continue to shrink if she were not careful.

She sensed the muscles in her back tense and begin to shake, feeling nauseous at the prospect of finding ways to avoid having history repeat itself.

Kai entering her life could change things, but she was uncertain if it would be for the best or the worst.

She decided to focus on her work instead of things she couldn't change at the moment.

Footsteps falling on the other side of the room caught her attention, and she glanced up to see Kai standing in the middle of the classroom.

He smiled down at her and winked.

"Come on," he said softly.

"Come where? What's wrong with you?" she whispered.

"Nothing," he said, leaning down and reaching for her hand.

Bonnie looked around, watching as the teacher continued to explain the problem on the board and her classmates appeared unaware of his presence.

Elena turned to her.

"Bonnie, who are you talking to?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Bonnie shook her head at her friend, then turned back to Kai, frowning at him and silently questioning his sanity for talking to her while cloaked.

Kai waved his free hand, using magic to allow several car alarms to blare outside the window. Her classmates leapt up to see what was happening.

Kai scooped Bonnie up in the confusion, leading her out of the room and through the double doors that led outside the school.

"You know, I still had ten minutes left in class. You couldn't wait?" she asked him.

"Class is for losers!" Kai teased.

"So I'm a loser?" she frowned at him.

"No, you are not! That's why I had to get you out of there," he nudged her as they walked toward the bleachers surrounding the track.

"I take it you're going to be my bad influence in this reality?"

"In any reality actually," he insisted, motioning for her to follow him as they escaped the last period of the day.

Their walk led them past the basketball hoop where Tyler Lockwood was showing off his athletic prowess to a slew of groupies hovering on the picnic tables 20 feet away.

Warm September air hit them in the face as they headed toward the grassy clearing outside near the football field.

The sun cast a glow over the lush grass. The smell of smoke overpowered the scent of wildflowers growing nearby. They were passing the "Stoner" area. Bonnie tried to look away, but her curiosity got the best of her. Her gaze caught the sight of Jeremy Gilbert. Her heart did a flip she didn't expect when his brown eyes caught her green ones. Jeremy shifted his position, watching her walk past him with a slight smile. He then turned back to his friends, including Vicki Donovan, who was prodding the boy for another set of pills to get her through the day. Bonnie watched as he shook his head and attempted to walk away from Vicki.

Kai noticed the direction of Bonnie's gaze as well as her discomfort at seeing the younger version of her future and former boyfriend. The boy that captured her heart then broke it. She died for him, yet she could not recall out what he had done for her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered, "It's just weird seeing him and knowing what I know – knowing how he ended up feeling about me and… what we did."

Kai never looked at her while she spoke about Jeremy. The subject appeared to be a sore one for him, but a question burned inside him that needed to come out before it drove him mad.

"You said he was your first. Do you – do you still want it to happen that way this time," his voice was quiet and introspective.

Bonnie considered his question as they walked together in silence for several minutes. She was uncertain what this particular future held. The girl she had been no longer existed. She died among the ruins of Mystic Falls. The woman she became was now trapped in an adolescent body that hungered for something different.

Bonnie remembered loving Jeremy, but she didn't remember why. Perhaps the reason lived in the fact that he was sweet and protective of her when others weren't. Should that be enough on which to build a relationship? The old Bonnie thought so. But this woman she'd become saw her road to heartbreak in just another year. Why would she choose to go through that again?

The thing was, Jeremy appeared different. His "emo" hair was replaced with a simple part on the left side. He also seemed bulker than what she remembered from his sophomore year. He looked more like he had when they'd first kissed in Caroline's foyer. She shook herself back to reality. Regardless of how he appeared, he'd still hurt her feelings. She refused to let that happen again.

"To be honest, he was the only guy that loved me – that is until he cheated on me with a ghost" she said.

Kai's surprised expression wasn't lost on her.

"A ghost. What the hell can you do with a ghost?" he asked.

"Long, story. Not important. The point is, he was the only person willing to protect me from the danger that will eventually come here," Bonnie told him.

Kai stood in front of her, looking down into her green eyes.

"He's not the only one this time," he pointed out.

"So in addition to being a bad influence on me, you are also promising to be my bodyguard?"

"I'm simply offering to do anything to you body that you want," Kai flirted.

They'd stopped beneath the bleachers with Kai still holding Bonnie's hand. He looked down at their fingers and slowly let go.

"You know, this second chance isn't about repeating history. Your family wanted you to be happy. That probably means you shouldn't be dying for anyone other than yourself," he asserted.

"If that was why I was sent back, then why were you?" she asked.

"Bodyguard," he insisted.

She liked the idea of someone dedicated to protecting her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that had other intentions.

Bonnie knew their new paths were created for a reason, but the gift she'd been given only came with knowledge she already held.

Soon, Damon, Katherine, and eventually Klaus would enter the picture and wreak havoc on all of them. She hated them all in the beginning, but developed an understanding of who they were and how they got there as the years passed. Still, she felt little sympathy for Katherine. Klaus would eventually leave for New Orleans. How she felt about Damon was much more complicated. They eventually became friends, but not after a series of threats, violent attacks, and enough snide comments to last a lifetime.

She decided that changing the subject might be best before she got wrapped up in her past and ironically her future.

"So what's up with your family in this timeline? Are they here? Hey, where's Jo?" Bonnie asked, curious and a little terrified of his answer. She assumed he hadn't killed them.

"We're not twins, this go around. I figure your family wanted it that way…safer for Jo. She's in medical school right now. Luke and Liv are in college at Whitmore, sophomores, I think," his voice lowered as he spoke.

"So they're in line for leadership of the coven and you're not a twin?" Bonnie asked.

Kai looked down, paying special attention to his feet and avoiding her question. Bonnie lifted his chin so their eyes met.

"What is it?" she added.

"The coven doesn't work like that here. There's no merge ceremony. The coven leader is chosen by voting for the top two candidates; then they fight for it; sort of like a witch magic cage match," he explained.

"To the death?" she asked, horrified.

Kai chuckled, stroking her cheek for no apparent reason other than to feel the warmth of her skin on the back of his hand. She didn't want to enjoy the sensation, but she did.

"Not the death, but they do battle until the other finally relents or falls unconscious," he told her.

Bonnie looked at the apparent sadness in his eyes, knowing that he would never be the leader he wanted to be, but also acknowledging that, at least the old Kai, probably shouldn't lead anyone.

"I'm sorry you don't have a twin anymore. I guess that probably made you feel connected to someone," Bonnie said softly.

Kai bit his lip and looked away from her before speaking; his manner turning cold.

"I – I do have one, we're just not ever going to be close. We shouldn't be," Kai noted.

Before she could probe him more about his new twin sister, her phone began to ring. She looked at the display and saw Caroline's name. She already knew the subject, so she didn't bother answering. She simply texted her friend that she was on her way to cheerleading practice.

"Look, I have to get to practice soon," she said.

Bonnie began to walk away, but Kai stopped her by taking her hand, entwining their fingers, and pulling her flush against him.

He gently nuzzled her cheek.

"Hey, can I watch you change into your cheerleading uniform?" he whispered.

"No!" she answered, ignoring the urge to look at him for fear she'd change her mind.

Kai leaned in and gave her a quick peck on her left ear.

"How about a kiss?" he suggested.

"You just took one…without permission," Bonnie added.

"No, I mean a real one," Kai insisted.

"You know, technically, we just met. It's not like me to kiss a stranger. I'm a good girl," she said, batting her eyes at him.

"Too good, actually. I'm going to have to break you of that one day," he said, stroking her long hair and letting the dark tresses roll through his fingers.

He looked down at her, his blue-grey eyes swirling with mischief and a touch of innocence that she found almost as irresistible as his smile.

Bonnie looked around to see if anyone was watching. She stood up on her tip toes and kissed his smooth cheek.

The final bell of the day echoed loudly and she knew Caroline and Elena would be looking for her the moment they hit the locker room.

They didn't have much time, but she didn't want to leave his side. For some reason she felt much more comfortable with this version of Kai. She enjoyed his flirty comments and tendency to touch her as much as possible. This Kai was more of a threat to her virtue - and her heart - than he was to her life.

"Are you coming to the Bonfire tonight?" Bonnie asked, changing the subject to something slightly safer.

Kai looked up as if to think about it and nodded.

"What time should I pick you up?" he asked, placing his hands on her waist.

"You are persistent, aren't you? Pretty ambitious to secure two dates with me in one day," she responded, "Fine, meet me at my Grams house at 7 p.m."

Kai scanned her face again as if he was about to say something, but then thought better of it. It was out of character for him to hold back an innuendo or a threat. This new behavior intrigued Bonnie.

"See you then," he told her, giving her a brief hug and inhaling her scent before allowing her to leave.

Bonnie bounced to the locker room to get ready for practice. She thought she heard someone call her name, but when she turned around, Kai had gone. She scanned her surroundings only to find no one in particular noticing her, so she continued walking with a smile on her face.

This time, she thought, it will be different.

Kai watched Bonnie walk away with a smile on his face, but concern in his heart. She saw the way she looked at Jeremy. He hated it. They had history and regardless of her reservations about dating the boy again, he knew competing with the memory of her first love would be a challenge.

He stepped into his used Toyota Corolla and headed back to his "new" home in Mystic Falls.

Kai parked his car, and ascended the porch steps to see his father rocking back and forth on the porch swing and fiddling with a cell phone. He kept tapping hard on the touch screen.

It was strange seeing his father in this reality. When he woke from the brief afterlife he'd shared with Bonnie, Kai found himself lying on an unfamiliar sofa surrounded by familiar faces. One of those faces included Joshua Parker, who surfed the cable channels in a futile effort to find an episode of Law & Order.

Kai remembered jumping up and backing away from the man he considered a significant threat to his life. After all: Joshua Parker cared about coven above all things; including family. He braced himself for an attack. Instead, Joshua spoke lovingly to him, which was way too eerie for Kai's taste.

In this reality, he and his father actually had a good relationship. This was the man Kai originally wanted to be his father. He was quirky but still caring, and appeared to love all of his children.

Almost all.

"Kid, do you know how to work this damned thing?" Joshua asked as he tapped on the phone over and over again.

Kai offered a slight chuckle and deposited his schoolbooks on the porch before taking the phone from his dad.

"What are you trying to do anyway?" he asked, trying to back out of the electronic mess Joshua had gotten into.

"I'm just trying to add a contact with a picture," Joshua pointed out, his voice wavering unnecessarily.

Kai noticed the change in his father's tone. Joshua was slightly frightened and from the look on his face, he knew what the older man meant.

The younger Parker took a deep breath and added the contact, showing his father the steps. Then asked a question to which he didn't want an answer.

"Where?" Kai asked.

Joshua motioned toward the house.

"Upstairs," Joshua added, standing up and placing a hand on Kai's shoulder.

"Understood," Kai told him.

Kai bounded up the stairs and went directly to the room at the end of the hall. It wasn't his room. It belonged to someone he'd hoped he could avoid a little longer.

He knocked and, but no one answered. He entered without hesitation, preparing himself for a fight. The room remained empty.

Kai then walked to his own room, turning the doorknob and feeling a sense of dread that came close to overwhelming him. He stood opposite a dark figure that faced the window.

A wry chuckle escaped the not-so-stranger's lips. The figure turned to face Kai with a condescending grin.

The uncanny resemblance to himself sent a chill through him. They stood eye to eye with one another. The same blue-grey eyes stared back at him. The same smile pulled at the same lips.

Kai's mirror image displayed only one difference between them: an emerging amount of chin stubble that Bonnie would no doubt find appealing.

"Hello Brother," the young man said, his smile turning to a wicked smirk.

"Hello, Jake," Kai responded.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Gift**

 **Chapter 4**

Kai Parker watched his twin stalk around his room, picking up various items and setting them down as if he still needed to mark any territory that wasn't already his own.

The young man wore a long dark coat, a dark blue shirt and black jeans. His attempt to look menacing was apparent.

"Relax, Kai," Jacob said, "I'm not here to kill you, but you know what I _do_ want." Kai's body tensed at the sound of his twin's voice. He knew this meeting was inevitable.

Jacob chuckled at Kai's reaction.

"No!" Kai said.

"Kai, that temper is going to get you in trouble someday… oh wait, it already has," Jacob said.

"You need to go," Kai demanded.

"Now why would I do that when I have two damn good reasons to stay?" Jacob pointed out.

Kai didn't respond. He knew what was coming.

Jacob continued, walking around Kai like a shark circling its prey before ripping it to shreds. Kai could hold his own against his twin, but he needed to know what the endgame was going to be in all of this. He chose patience over destruction.

Jacob rolled his eyes, as if amused by Kai's inaction.

"I saw her today…your pretty little Bennett witch. I must say, she is a tempting little firecracker," Jacob noted, and then waited for Kai to make a threat.

Kai refused to take the bait, but it took all of his restraint to not break this new brother's neck.

"Wait…Wait…You didn't tell her about me, did you? Tsk. Tsk. Not a good way to start a relationship," Jake continued.

"Let's just get this out of the way. What do you need from me so that I can get you the hell out of my life?" Kai asked, wasting no time with his interrogation. He wanted Jacob gone so he would not have to give Bonnie an explanation of his twin's existence in this reality.

Jake tilted his head in mock frustration.

"I think that's obvious, but I'll play. You and I both know this merge thing has to happen. Humpty Dumpty needs to be put back together again, and we all know it needs to be done by a Bennett witch, since they're the ones that created this new take on history," Jake said.

"We don't need to be put back together," Kai insisted, scowling at the embodiment of the evil man he once was.

"Of course we do. We need each other. Well, you need me at least," asserted Jake.

"I don't need you!" yelled Kai, the power of his voice cracking the glass in the picture frames throughout the room.

Jacob looked at the damage as if impressed – albeit briefly.

"Hmm…" Jake teased, "Tell me how that felt, Kai. - That surge of power. Intoxicating isn't it? Doesn't show up that often now that we're both just shadows of our former selves."

"I don't want to be you," Kai insisted, remembering the constant hatred that ran through his veins during his former life. It ate away at him back then, yet he still reveled in the harm he caused because it gave him some relief that he was no longer alone in his pain.

So much had changed. Going back to that person meant losing control. Going back would mean losing the second chance he always wanted; especially a second chance with Bonnie.

"You don't want to be me. Fine. I'm not all that excited about being you either, although I do like the company you keep," Jake said.

"Stay away from her!" Kai yelled, stepping forward.

"Oh, come on. I'd never hurt her. You should know that," Jake pointed out.

"What I know is that you'll do or say anything get what you want, but you can't have her," said Kai.

Jacob chuckled.

"Relax, Malachai. It's not like I'd keep her," Jacob said. His words elicited a growl from Kai and Jacob smirked in satisfaction.

Kai knew he and his brother were evenly matched as witches, but the evil that ran through Jacob's veins gave him a slight edge in terms of physical strength. For a brief moment, he wished he'd remained a heretic; at least then, he could sink a pair of freshly sharpened fangs into his new nemesis.

The Bennetts had given him a second chance, but the price of this gift proved to be more costly than he'd expected.

He wanted a father that loved him. He got it.

He wanted to shed his psychopathic past. He got it.

He wanted a to be with Bonnie, to deserve her. He was getting that chance.

The cost: finding a way to defeat an evil version of himself he never expected to encounter.

Kai calmed himself before speaking again.

"This isn't about Bonnie and you know it," Kai pointed out, knowing his brother's true intentions ran deeper than chasing after the beautiful witch.

"Look. We need a Bennett. It's a simple as that, and I don't know if you remember this or not, but they don't exactly grow on trees – at least the last time I checked they didn't," Jake asserted.

The truth of that statement bore into Kai. He knew Bennett witches were few and far between – even in this new timeline. Bonnie's powers were new and unfocused in her younger self. He had no idea where Lucy Bennett was, and as far as Grams was concerned, he wasn't certain how the woman felt about working with the Gemini Coven again.

"We'll figure something else out," Kai suggested, "I just need some time."

"Suit yourself. Search through the Gemini archives. Read through book after book, all you want, but it won't change the fact that by the time that comet gets here – I'm getting everything I want … with a little Bennett cherry on top," Jake noted.

"No!" Kai shouted, his anger surging forward.

Kai pinned his brother to the wall next to the window.

Jacob grinned, grabbed Kai's hand, and threw his brother's head into the window.

Kai emerged from the broken glass, blood tricking from his burning wounds. He didn't flinch. He knew it would give Jacob too much pleasure.

"Oh, kiddo. You better get a Band-Aid on that before your pretty little witch sees it," said Jake

Kai wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand, closed his eyes, and the wounds healed themselves immediately, leaving nothing but dried blood behind.

"Well, someone's learned a new trick. I like it," Jake praised, "Color me impressed."

Kai scowled, noting something new in his brother's eyes which sent a flicker of hope through him: Jake's fear. Fear that Kai really didn't need him. Fear that Kai could be whole on his own, making the merge useless, and making him expendable.

"I have a month to come up with something, you piece of shit," Kai added, "So stay away from her or I'll kill us both!"

Jake swallowed hard, angling his head to the side and giving himself a few moments to regain his composure as well as his sense of superiority.

"Thirty days, Kai," Jacob said, "The clock is ticking."

Caroline walked next to Bonnie as they navigated around the aisles of Mystic Stories bookstore, searching for the right novel for their book report in English class. They had a few more hours to kill before the Back to School Bonfire.

Bonnie knew Caroline was an expert at finding out information, and wondered if she would have grown up to be a spy or maybe a journalist had she not been turned into a vampire.

"So, tell me Care, what has your investigation revealed about Kai?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, let's see - lives on Gardiner Street in this huge house. He has a big family that is kind of weird – they keep to themselves, like Xeno…what's that word?" Caroline asked.

"Xenophobes," Bonnie answered.

"Ah, okay. Yeah, that…anyway, hottie's favorite color is blue. He's wicked smart. Oh, and I heard he can sing," Caroline reported.

Bonnie's heart did an involuntary flip at the thought of Kai singing to her at some point. She shook the image from her head. She had to proceed with caution given their history together.

"Hmmm. Extraordinary research Caroline," Bonnie noted.

"Well, researching a cute guy is a hell of a lot more fun than this stupid book report: 'Focus on an epic struggle in literature,'" said Caroline, flipping through the books on the shelves, pulling out one from time to time, scanning it, then putting it back.

"And we have to make it relevant to a modern day struggle," Bonnie added, picking up a copy of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston.

Caroline huffed down the aisle until she came upon a section filled with women writers. She picked up "Emma" by Jane Austen.

"Aha! Romance. I am so getting this one," Caroline bounced up and down, "Now that that's settled, "I can't decide if I want Tyler or Matt to take me to the bonfire tonight."

Caroline looked to Bonnie for some indication as to whom she should choose. Bonnie tried not to allow her knowledge of the future to color her friend's decision. While history didn't have to repeat itself, pushing her toward one guy over the other would be wrong.

It was better to have Caroline choose her own fate. Bonnie knew first hand what life was like to lose control of your destiny.

"It depends on if you want sweet and romantic or hot and heavy," Bonnie reasoned, knowing that pre-vampire Caroline was a bit fickle in her romantic choices.

Caroline bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling.

"In that case, my money's on Tyler," she said, "He can be a jerk sometimes, but God does he have a hot body."

Bonnie chuckled as she walked to the counter to pay for her book. Caroline followed closely behind, bursting to ask her best friend about her bonfire plans.

"So I guess you're going to meet the new hottie at the Bonfire?" Caroline asked, giving the clerk her money for the Jane Austen book.

"Yeah, but he's coming over to the house to hang out first," Bonnie explained.

Caroline gushed.

"Yay! God, I'm so psyched for you," the blonde said.

"Well, don't get too excited. He's meeting my Grams tonight. I've never brought a boy home and I just don't want her to scare him off," added Bonnie.

"I get that. He's new. He's cute. You blush every time he's anywhere near you, so I guess I'd be worried too as a parent – or grandparent. But, as your friend, I say go for it!" Caroline encouraged, leading Bonnie out of the store.

Bonnie rushed home to spend some time with her Grandmother before Kai arrived, introduced himself, got interrogated, and took her to the bonfire. She wasn't sure how much Grams remembered from their former lives, if anything. The note and the wink from earlier in the day made Bonnie think her Grams remembered everything.

Bonnie burst through the front door, not realizing the force with which she'd opened it. Sheila Bennett was coming up from the basement and dropped the basket of clothing she was holding.

"Child, you better slow down," Grams warned with a warm smile.

Bonnie ran to her again, wrapping her arms around her grandmother just as tightly as she had done in the morning.

"I love you – so much!" she said with tears in her eyes.

"I know baby, I know," Sheila said hugging Bonnie back with just as much enthusiasm.

"Grams, is…well...um… What do you remember?" she asked.

Sheila Bennett cocked an eyebrow and smiled at her grandchild.

"I remember enough to know that history ain't repeating itself this time, you hear me. You're not dying for that Gilbert boy or any of those damned vampires, understand?" the older Bennett asked.

"Yes ma'am," Bonnie agreed, wiping away some tears, "And I'm not letting you die either, Grams."

Sheila nodded.

"Baby, I love you. I've always been willing to die for you; that's what you do for family. But – these Gilberts and the trouble they have brought to this family over the years, the trouble they will bring. No - it won't happen again," noted Sheila.

Bonnie bit her lip. She loved her friend, but recognized that Elena's relationship with Stefan started a sequence of events that left much of the Bennett line dead. She needed help to protect them…all of them.

"Grams, is that why you sent Kai back? To protect me?" Bonnie asked.

"Baby, that's part of the reason. The other part is that he never knew love like you do. We stripped the anger from him this time so he could have another chance. And… ," Sheila interrupted herself.

"And what, Grams?" asked Bonnie.

"I helped trap that child for 20 years for what he did," Grams said.

"It was the right thing to do," Bonnie assured her.

Sheila walked with Bonnie to the kitchen table and they both sat down.

"The thing is Bonnie, he wasn't evil. He was sick. He was abused. I could have helped him – done right by him, but the Gemini Coven didn't want him saved or redeemed. They wanted him dead. Trapping him in a prison world was the best option to save his life," the older woman explained.

"Why did you send me there, Grams? The old Kai; what he did to me …," Bonnie started, her voice trailing off.

"Baby, I told you to be strong because I knew where I'd have to send you, so you would be saved…and so maybe you could save him too," Sheila admitted, her eyes watering.

Bonnie considered her grandmother's words before gazing up at the clock and realizing she needed to get ready for the bonfire.

She squeezed her grandmother's hand and gave her a hug before heading upstairs.

When she first attended the function, she spent the better part of it with Caroline, but this timeline would be different.

This time she had a date. This time, she had to consider what to wear, even if the date was with Kai Parker. She felt silly for being nervous, but that's exactly how she felt.

Butterflies filled her stomach as she scanned through her clothing looking for something comfortable, beautiful, and functional. She settled on a red, knit top and a pair of dark blue jeans that hugged her curves, but weren't tight enough to prevent her from moving around.

Bonnie stood in front of her bedroom mirror, examining her form and smoothing out the minor wrinkles in her clothing.

A tentative knock on the door interrupted Bonnie's thoughts. Her heart fluttered. Her magic simmered beneath her skin. She bit her lip once she reached the bottom and saw Kai standing on her porch.

"Want me to get that, baby?" her Grams asked, wiping her wet hands with a dishtowel.

A nervous Bonnie stammered a little as she answered.

"No, no, Grams I got it," she said.

Bonnie pulled open the door and blushed a little as she noticed Kai staring at her with a knee-weakening smirk on his face. Dressed in a black shirt t-shirt and jeans, he looked even more handsome than he did earlier in the day. She decided, in that moment, she'd let him kiss her this time.

The comfortable silence that passed between them didn't go unnoticed by Sheila Bennett. She motioned for him to come inside.

"Get in here, young man," she said, "You're lettin' bugs in the house."

"Yes ma'am," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

He felt nervous for a host of reasons. Sheila Bennett possessed the power to end this new life he'd become so fond of. Despite the threat posed by his new twin, Kai finally had a future that looked promising. He had the chance to grow into a better man.

Sheila ushered Bonnie and Kai into the kitchen, where she sat them down for what appeared to be a serious conversation. Bonnie felt Kai give her a gentle squeeze on the leg before her grandmother began speaking.

"This second chance has rules for the both of you, understand?" Sheila began.

Bonnie and Kai nodded in unison, waiting for the woman to continue.

"While the timeline has been reset, there are still going to be new dangers for the both of you," she said.

Bonnie watched Kai's face fall. He swallowed hard before speaking.

"He's here, Mrs. Bennett," Kai admitted, his shoulders tensing.

Sheila didn't hide her worried expression. There was no need.

"I know," she responded, "We're going to have to deal with him sooner or later."

Bonnie looked between her grandmother and her boyfr-… No. She refused to think of him that way. Not yet.

"Who? Who are you two talking about?" Bonnie asked, panic overtaking her.

Kai clasped his hands and turned toward her.

"My brother, Jacob," Kai said, "He's who I tried to tell you about earlier. He's my twin in this life. He's strong. He's evil…He's everything you had every right to hate about me."

Bonnie felt the air in the room change. Charged with fear and magic, she breathed it in and kept going, just as she always did.

"What does he want?" asked Bonnie, worried about the answer.

"The merge," he said.

"So if he wins, you die?" she asked.

"It's not that simple, Bon," he explained, "We become one person, again. We become evil, again. I turn back into the way I was – dangerous."

"I won't let that happen," Bonnie assured him.

Sheila pursed her lips and waited for Kai to tell Bonnie the rest. She nodded at him to encourage his disclosure. After a few minutes, he told her.

"Bonnie, we need a Bennett to perform the merging spell when the comet passes over in a month," he continued.

"So, Grams won't do that and I'll just refuse," Bonnie added.

Kai shook his head. He then placed his hand over hers.

"You don't understand. If we don't go through with the ritual, then Jacob and I... both of us die."

Bonnie felt the air leave her lungs as she processed the information. The idea of Kai returning to his old ways terrified her. The thought of him dying now also filled her with anguish.

Sheila stepped in to provide them both some reassurance.

"Listen. It won't have to come to that. Bonnie and I will work on strengthening her magic, meanwhile, you and your father are going to have doing the same," said Sheila.

"What about you, Grams," Bonnie said, her voice shaking with memories of the past.

Bonnie's mind flashed back to watching her grandmother die after opening the tomb the first time for the Salvatore brothers. She felt her chest clench with guilt for getting her Grams involved in the first place.

"Oh, I'm not opening that tomb and getting myself killed again," Grams said, "Not in this lifetime."

Bonnie silently agreed. History could not be repeated. Not this time. She'd lost too much and had just gotten it back. She dared not lose another person she loved.

Kai looked at the clock. They needed to leave if they were going to get a decent parking spot at the Bonfire.

"We have to get going," he said to Bonnie.

He nodded to Sheila before they walked toward the door.

The older woman's voice stopped the teenagers in their tracks.

"One more thing Mr. Parker," Sheila began.

Kai turned back to face her.

"Yes, Mrs. Bennett?" he said, unconsciously reaching for Bonnie's hand.

"My granddaughter is leaving here with her innocence intact. You best make sure she returns with it," Sheila ordered.

"I understand," he assured the elder Bennett.

Kai led Bonnie to his car and they drove to the bonfire in the woods. He only briefly mentioned the details of his run-in with Jacob. He didn't want to upset her further, but he felt it was important to be as honest with her as possible.

After twenty minutes, they pulled into the gravel parking lot on the camping area near the woods. The lot was already filled with roaring cars and tipsy teenagers, but they found a fairly secluded spot near a dogwood tree.

Bonnie tried to put her worries aside so she could focus on attempting to have fun. It seemed she always had to push fun aside in order to fight magical battle after magical batter.

In this life, she decided to make a different choice.

Kai walked around the car and helped Bonnie out of the passenger seat. Once the door was closed, he placed his right hand against it and leaned into her.

Bonnie batted her eyes at him, knowing what he wanted.

He took her left hand and raised it up to his lips, placing a soft, but seductive kiss on the inside of her wrist. Bonnie never thought such a small gesture would send erotic shivers down her spine. This is the Kai she wanted to spend time with. This is the Kai that stirred her emotions and her magic; sweet with a hint of naughty.

"So, do you have a rule against kissing on the first date?" Kai asked, his blue-grey eyes twinkling at her.

She reached up and stroked his cheek as she considered his request.

"Well, normally I do, but I can make an exception," she said, beaming up at him.

He moved closer, nuzzling her cheek and placing a small kiss on her cheekbone as his hands gently held her waist. His thumbs slipped under her top and stroked her skin.

Bonnie stopped breathing. Still fully clothed, she felt naked under his touch. How he held the power to do this to her so quickly was beyond her comprehension.

"Do I have to wait until we say goodnight or," Kai whispered as he brushed his nose against hers, "Can I kiss you right here – right now?"

Bonnie's breath caught in her chest. She felt weak and it had everything to with being intoxicated by Kai Parker.

She managed to say one word.

"Now," she whispered back.

Her response was the only answer he needed. Kai's lips met hers and the outside world no longer existed. He cherished her lips as if each one were a delicacy made for him to savor.

Lost in the moment, Bonnie moaned into his mouth, which encouraged him to kiss her even more deeply. His body pressed against hers and the heat between them built up quickly.

Bonnie felt his hardened manhood as the crotch of his jeans pressed into hers. Instinctively, she rubbed her core against him and they both groaned at the intensity of the movement.

After a few minutes, Kai forced himself to pull away for fear they would both lose complete control. He heard Sheila's warning repeat in his head over and over again. No matter how much he wanted Bonnie, he knew he needed to respect her grandmother's wishes.

"That was pretty, um.. -, "Bonnie started.

"Yeah, I know," Kai added as he grabbed a large blanket from his back seat.

They walked hand in hand toward the crowd.

"We should probably get a handle on that, or my Grams is gonna kill you," she smiled.

Kai looked down at her.

"Well, I don't know, Bonster, it might be worth it," he winked.

Bonnie nudged him. They soon found a place to sit. Kai laid the blanket on large log and patted the seat next to him.

They watched the fire flicker in front of them, but only really paid attention to each other. Kai pulled the blanket up so it wrapped around them both, then kissed Bonnie's ear. Heat flooded her core again, but she remained composed.

Kai stole a few kisses from time to time and after several minutes, he excused himself and headed into the woods to find a public restroom.

Bonnie stared at the firelight, nearly hypnotized by it. She considered testing her magic by stoking the fire, but she decided against it. There were too many witnesses, after all.

She heard a rustle behind her and turned to see Kai stroll back into view holding two red Solo cups in his hands. He smiled as he sat down next to her, wrapping them both in the blanket they shared.

"Hey, that didn't take long," Bonnie noted, "I figured there would be a line."

"It wasn't too bad. I also got us some drinks," he said, handing her cup of beer. Bonnie frowned as she set the drink down on the ground and focused on his handsome face. She smiled at the stubble emerging from his handsome chin.

"How did you grow that out so fast?" Bonnie asked, reaching up to touch Kai's face.

"Magic," he told her, glancing back and forth between her lips and her eyes. He licked his lips and waited.

The light from the fire flickered against Bonnie's brown skin, turning it a golden hue. He caressed her cheek just before he leaned in, lifted her chin, and kissed her.

He wrapped his right arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest.

Bonnie pushed him back.

"Let's go somewhere with a little more privacy," she offered, standing up and walking a little deeper into the woods so they could be alone.

The young warlock followed close behind, scanning the woods for any peeping toms.

Bonnie leaned against a tree and looked up at him. He leaned down again, capturing her lips with his.

She pushed him back and looked into his eyes. She smiled.

Then, her smile fell.

"Motus!" she said as magic catapulted him into the tree behind her – pinning him there.

The boy chuckled.

"Let me guess, I'm a better kisser than he is," Jake said, grinning at her.

She wiped his kiss from her lips, glaring at him with all the hate she could muster from her tiny body.

She lifted her hand, sending a shooting pain through his limbs that forced him to growl back at her. His head fell to his chest and he sucked in a sharp breath to bear it as best he could without giving her the satisfaction of knowing just how much she'd hurt him – physically.

"So, you followed us here," she snapped at him, "Where's Kai?"

Jake lifted his head, smiling at her with an all-too-familiar expression. It was the look she'd seen in the prison world right before being stabbed…by the "old" Kai. Her stomach churned at the memory, but she remained focused – pinning Jake to the tree and giving him an aneurism at the same time.

A wry chuckle escaped his lips. He closed his eyes and fell to the ground, successfully breaking her spell.

Bonnie then sent four small branches through his arms and legs, pinning him to the base of the tree.

He looked at her with admiration.

"Damn. I think I'm in love," he said, smirking at her.

Bonnie used her powers to push the damp bark deeper into his flesh. Perfectly willing to kill him where he sat, she stalked toward him with a confidence she knew wasn't present during her first years as a witch.

She couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of power, but pushed it aside for more immediate concerns.

She knelt down in front of him to look him in the eye.

"Where the hell is Kai," she asked, her voice low and more menacing that she expected.

Jake noted the threat, leaning his head back against the tree.

"He's close," Jake answered, "But if you kill me, you won't see him again. Killing me won't break the spell I placed on him."

Bonnie didn't want to take a chance on Jake being right, so she stood, backing away slowly.

"What are you doing? Are you using some glamor spell to change your appearance to look like him?" she continued.

The young man shook his head.

"I'm real, Bonnie. This face is real. This body is real, too," he said suggestively.

This made her skin crawl as well as her face flush. It was a disturbing combination of sensations, but she had little time for his games or flirtations when Kai might be in danger.

She'd wished for too long that he'd change into the kind of man she could love. Now the evil inside of him had taken the form of a twin whose intentions were made clear from the moment he touched her.

"I said: where is he?!" she demanded.

"You're a smart witch. I'm sure you'll figure out before he runs out of air. Consider this a test of your power. If you succeed, you're strong enough to do the spell I need you to do. Fail, and well…I guess I get to have you all to myself," he said.

"You bastard!" she seethed.

Jacob smirked.

"You're incredible," he said as he freed himself from his wooden restraints and stepped toward her, "Now I want you even more, and I didn't think that was possible."

Jake held up his hand, immobilizing her for a moment. She could do nothing other than look in his cold grey eyes and bide her time until he freed her.

"Well, I don't want you," she said, defiantly.

"You will. One day you're going to come to me," he traced her lips with his index finger and whispered in her ear, "Then one day you're going to come for me."

Bonnie shivered.

"Just … just let me save him," she pleaded.

Jacob backed away, freeing her from his spell.

Bonnie took the opportunity to grab a sharp rock to slice his hand. She then used her powers to pin his feet to the ground with overgrown vines that littered the forest floor.

He didn't struggle; he simply smiled at her with lust and hate in his eyes.

"Five minutes, beautiful," he said, "You better run."


End file.
